Falling
by crazedreader96akajetliormrslh
Summary: "Is there something else behind those eyes?" He found himself falling, and didn't know how far down he really was until it was almost too late. Kames one-shot.


Falling

* * *

"James! James, please open the door!" The sound of the blonde's voice, then the sound of knocking on the door, following by the moving of the locked door handle. That made the brunette in question want to do nothing more than to just race to the door and swing it open and tackle him in an embrace, but he couldn't do it. He wanted to forget all of the problems in his past, and he just wanted to be in his own self-wallowing. He tried squeezing his eyes shut as he took a breath. The memories consumed him sometimes, and he just needed to get away, to escape into his own world, which was much better than reality sometimes.

"James!" came his voice again, the voice of the one who made his world much more bearable. He, along with the two others who they had been friends with for over a decade made it easier, but sometimes he felt that it wasn't enough. He just needed to be left to his thoughts, which were never forgiving.

"G-go away Kendall," he called back, mentally berating himself at how pathetic and weak he sounded as his voice broke. He hated the vulnerability that was forced upon him, he never wanted it, but it was given to him all the same.

"James, either you open the door or I break it open," Kendall's voice called back, full of genuine concern. James stood up and unlocked the door, quickly rushing out of it, trying to evade the blonde. It didn't work to his advantage for Kendall reached out and grabbed his shoulder, turning the brunette to face him. James instantly wrapped his arms around himself in a final attempt to try to protect himself from his own nightmares. He put his head down, his hair falling in front of his face. This worried the blonde even further, his eyebrows furrowing in worry as he took in the sight of his boyfriend standing before him.

"James, what's wrong?" He asked, wondering what he could do to help.

"I-I can't," James responded.

"You can't what James?"

"I-I can't keep d-doing this to y-you."

"Doing what?"

"I-I'm not g-good enough for you."

"Who told you that?" Kendall asked, taken aback.

"I-I just know Kendall!" James exclaimed. He tightened his arms around his chest, his head snapping up at the statement, his usually clear hazel eyes cloudy and tear-filled. "I-I'm not worth it! Y-you're better with s-someone else!" James protested, hating how his voice shifted between broken whimpers and faint whispers.

"James," Kendall said, placing his hands on James's arms, trying to pull them away. "James, what's going on?"

"S-stop!" James cried, his body visibly shaking as Kendall moved his arms away. "W-what are you doing?" Kendall held both of James's wrists in one hand while the other went up and pushed James's shirt up, gasping at what met him. The brunette's upper-body was covered in dark bruises and cuts, some more recent than others. Kendall looked behind him, finding it tragically ironic that there was a mirror on the wall. James's back was in the same condition, if not worse.

"James," Kendall said, his fingertips lightly brushing against his chest. "What happened?"

"I-I," James tried, knowing he couldn't lie. He turned his head away, not wanting to meet Kendall's emerald eyes.

"James," Kendall said, putting his hand on James's cheek, turning his head. James flinched at the sudden contact, but was comforted by his touch all the same. Kendall now noticed the dark marks on his face, along with them placed around his neck, like someone held him in a chokehold.

"I-I can't t-tell anyone. H-he'll make it worse. And he'll h-hurt you. I-I can't let me d-do that to you."

"Who James?" Kendall asked, wondering who could have shaken James up this terribly.

A slamming door directed both their attention to the front of the house, James's eyes widening with fear.

"Y-you need to go!" James told Kendall, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him to the back door.

"James-" Kendall tried to say. He hated how terrified he sounded, and that he wasn't even sure of what was happening.

"P-please!" James told him.

"Call me if anything happens," Kendall told him, giving him a quick kiss before walking out the back door.

* * *

James took a shuddering breath as he closed the door behind Kendall, making sure to ease it shut carefully. He he'd his breath as he made his way back around to the front, wishing he could just go up the stairs and act like everything was normal. He made his way to the bathroom, lifting his shirt up to examine the injuries left on his body. His fingers grazed across the cuts and bruises, knowing that there would be much more on the way. There was no way for him to stop it. No way at all for him to prevent it. A sharp crash against the door caused James to jump and his heart thudded as he knew he had to go out and face his nightmare once again.

* * *

Kendall didn't make in very far before he heard a sharp wail of pain. He was sure he heard a strangled form of his name following after. Panic surged through him as he pulled his phone out and called the police, running back to the house as he gave them the needed information. He burst the door open, the wooden frame nearly snapping off with the amount of pressure. It hit the wall sharply, creating a resounding thud to echo in the house. He raced to the back where he saw James lying on the ground almost unresponsive, his arm at a strange angle, blood matting in his thick hair.

His father, Richard Diamond was standing before him, pressing a boot-covered foot to his leg, stepping hard enough that Kendall heard a crack, followed by James screaming out, his back jerking upward, fighting a pain-filled sob, although the tears on his face proved how hard the fight was. His eyes were flashed open and he stared at Kendall in horror.

"K-Kendall!" James cried. "Get out of here!"

Richard turned his animalistic, stone-cold gaze to Kendall, biting back a laugh. "This is your little savior?" he asked James, taking his foot off James's now injured leg as he stalked towards Kendall. The blonde could tell he was drunk, and the look in his eyes told him that the older Diamond was also high off an unknown substance. "How pathetic. Even more pathetic than you." He began to address Kendall ".Get out of here kid. That way you won't get hurt."

"Get away from him," Kendall growled.

"Or what? He's my fag of a son, so I can do whatever I want to him."

James stared at Kendall in disbelief. "Don't-" he tried to say.

"Shut it fag!" Richard barked, James instantly quieting.

"Don't you talk to him like that!" Kendall responded. Richard soon charged for Kendall, his rage overtaking him. Kendall dodged his first attack and soon brought him to the ground, punching at his face, keeping him pinned. Richard lashed out, hitting Kendall in the face. The blonde snarled back at him and snaked his hands around Richard's throat, cutting off his air supply until he fell unconscious. Kendall left Richard lying on the ground as the police stormed the house, weapons ready.

"All clear," one said and the blonde Knight recognized the voice of Chief Garcia, the father of his and James's friend Carlos, who was in a relationship with their other friend Logan Mitchell. His eyes filled with shock as he saw that Kendall was the one who made the call. Kendall completely ignored the other officers as he quickly made his way to James's side, where the brunette was still lying on the floor, his eyes now shut.

The paramedics swarmed and carefully lifted James onto a stretcher, wheeling him to the ambulance and transporting him to the hospital. All before Kendall could even say a word.

"Come on Kendall," Officer Garcia said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take you down there. Let's go."

* * *

James fought back another groan of pain as he heard the voices hovering above him.

"I think he's awake," he heard one say.

"Kid," another said. "Can you hear me?"

James tried to say yes, but as soon as he took a breath, his chest felt like it was going to collapse on him. His lungs felt like they were on fire and his body was aching with pain. He started to cough and soon a mask was placed over his head as he tried to regulate his breathing.

"Just relax kid. Everything's gonna be okay." James tried to relax as the paramedic instructed, and soon found himself slipping into the darkness once again.

* * *

Kendall burst into James's hospital room despite the protest of him going in. He didn't bother to listen, he needed to see James. His heart shattered as he took note of James's broken form on the bed. A cast was on his arm, along with his leg, bandages wrapping around his other injuries, along with the one around his head.

"James," Kendall said, his voice soft as he ran a hand through James's soft hair. "James, can you hear me?"

A shaky hand slowly found its way to the side of Kendall's face, the thumb grazing the injured part of his cheek. Beautiful hazel eyes opened to meet with stunning emerald green. "You came back."

"I wasn't about to leave you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid. I didn't want him to hurt you."

"But he hurt you," Kendall began. "I should have known. I could have helped you."

"He would have found me anyway Kendall. He never would have given up."

"What were his reasons?"

"He's blamed me for my mom's death, his addiction to alcohol and drugs, and he even did it because he found out I fell in love with another man. But Kendall, falling in love with you was worth it. It was worth all of it."

* * *

James's heart felt like it was skipping multiple beats at once as he stared at the judge before him. His gaze shifted to the jury, wondering what was going on in their minds. He knew that they reached a decision, their verdict making or breaking the rest of his life. He needed to know, but part of him didn't want to. That part just wanted to forget and wish nothing ever happened to him in the first place. Yet, here he was, letting twelve strangers decide his fate as well as the fate of the one who betrayed him most. All of the testimonies brought back horribly memories for him, each one cutting at him like a dull knife, each word adding more pain to the past henso desperately wanted to forget. He could see their mouths moving, but he couldn't hear the words spoken. All until one phrase broke through his mind.

"We find the defendant, Richard Diamond, guilty of the allegations against him." Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Richard Diamond was guilty, and James was finally free. He couldn't believe it. His luck was finally changing. And this time, for the better. He watched his father get dragged away by the officers assigned to him, and all the weight pressing down on him finally lifted. He thanked his lawyer throughly, extremely grateful for the work he had down. Mr. Mitchell had just smiled at him, telling him that be was happy to help his son's friend, free of charge. James was soon caught in an embrace, feeling familiar arms wrap around him, holding him close. He looked up and found himself looking at the teary eyes of the blonde who made everything so much easier. The one who gave him hope when he thought he had none left. James wiped the tears away, although bs knew which emotion was responsible, for he was feeling the same.

The two walked out of the courtroom and that was when James curled a hand through Kendall's soft blonde hair and brought their lips together, pouring as many positive emotions into it as possible. When they pulled apart Kendall rested his forehead against James's, their noses brushing.

"Thank you," James said, his voice soft. "I love you."

"I love you too James," Kendall replied, interlacing their fingers. "Now come on, it's time we get you home." James smiled at the realization that he was now to be home with the ones who cared about him the most, and that was what made everything else worth it. 


End file.
